- Running time:
- 117 minutes
- Rated:
- R
- Cast:
- Clint Eastwood -
- Walt Kowalski
- Christopher Carley -
- Father Janovich
- Bee Vang -
- Thao
- Ahney Her -
- Sue
- Brian Haley -
- Mitch Kowalski
After the death of his wife, Korean War vet/ex-Ford employee/racist grouch Walt (Clint Eastwood, who also directed) has little to do but grumble about kids these days, people on his lawn and the various minorities who have taken over his Detroit neighborhood. (This ball-buster isn't close with his kids or grandkids.) After his teenage Hmong neighbor (Bee Vang) flubs a gang initiation by failing to steal Walt's prized '72 Ford Gran Torino, Walt gradually warms to the boy and teaches him how to be a man. It's not as sentimental as it sounds.
The buzz: Eastwood already helmed this year's spotty "Changeling," but "Torino" has him back in stable, teeth-gritting territory. (Yes, you probably will expect him to ask some punk if he feels lucky.) It's also the 78-year-old actor's first time in front of the camera since 2004's "Million Dollar Baby," and the performance is commanding, funny and rich in anger that seeps from him like toxic gas from a valve.
The verdict: Nobody growls like Clint growls, yet "Gran Torino" becomes a remarkably sweet movie considering half of it is the big man groaning and barking bigoted comments. There's not much bite to the racial conflicts or depth to the supporting characters, with kids presented mostly as shy and innocent or violent gang members. But Eastwood's presence and voice are a force to be reckoned with—imagine the added zip Eastwood's narration could add to something like "High School Musical 3"—while masking loneliness and regret that eat away at even the hardest hardass. It's an Oscar-worthy turn as a man who learns he doesn't have to totally knock down the fences he's built around himself, but it's OK to lower them a bit.
Did you know? Walt insists that men (and only men) can perform half their household chores using nothing but WD-40, vice grips and duct tape. So, guys, can you?
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(23 ratings)


What other people are saying...
hokwei from flagstaff - January 21, 2009 at 9:21 PM
Wow Lman. Did you really just go all racist stereotyping on Nfarhi09 simply because he disagrees with you and uses slang? That comes across as fair...
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Report This CommentAdam_Uris from Felton - January 14, 2009 at 1:40 PM
i'm going to watch this movie in an hour, pretty excited, i absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE clint eastwood.
Report This Commentyellowroseoftx from TX - January 10, 2009 at 8:20 AM
It's Dirty Harry meets Archie Bunker--with a twist. If Clint Eastwood doesn't get an Oscar for this performance, it will be robbery!
Report This Commentdwayneonacarphone from Mars Hill - January 10, 2009 at 2:03 AM
One of the best movies that I've seen in recent past. Clint was amazing. Watching Wally interact with Sue and Thao and some of the others was inc...
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Report This Commenttelehammers from jax - January 08, 2009 at 5:26 AM
Classic Eastwood. Loved it. I will buy dvd.The best movie of 2008! oscar oscar
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